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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29417091">More to Learn</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/InTheWild/pseuds/InTheWild'>InTheWild</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Compliant, Feelings Realization, First years as second years, Fluff, M/M, No Spoilers, One Shot, Pre-Relationship, Sharing Clothes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 12:01:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,762</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29417091</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/InTheWild/pseuds/InTheWild</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>Tadashi ran his hands over his forearms. “I am a little cold, but I’ll be alright. My jacket is in the trunk anyway.”</p>
  <p>“Maybe Yacchan has something!” Hinata perked up, whipping his head around toward the front of the bus – apparently unaware that his volume had caused everyone else around him to wince. “Yachi-san! Do you have any warming stuff in – “</p>
  <p>A small, bundled weight of fabric pressed into Tadashi’s sternum, pulling his attention away from Hinata’s voice. “Here,” Tsukishima said simply.</p>
  <p>Tadashi blinked, his fingers curling around the old hoodie instinctually before understanding. “Thanks, Tsukki.”</p>
  <p>“Mm,” Tsukishima gave a half-nod and faced where Hinata was still yelling up to a very flustered Yachi. “Oi. Yamaguchi is warm now. Shut up so the rest of us can sleep.”</p>
</blockquote><em> On the bus ride home from camp, Tsukishima falls asleep and Yamaguchi has a realization.</em>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>129</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!! Valentine Exchange</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>More to Learn</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was written for @kanbayashis on tumblr as part of the 2021 Haikyu!! Valentine's Gift Exchange!! I was so excited to see Tsukkiyama as one of your preferred pairings and loved the prompt of one of them falling asleep on the other's shoulder, and managed to work in one of your "little things" too and had Yamaguchi wearing Tsukki's sweater. I had a lot of fun writing this, and I hope you like it!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After a week of intense training in Tokyo, Tadashi blearily packed his things into his duffle bag and was herded along with the rest of the team to the bus waiting for them outside. It was way too early and way too hot. Between the poor ventilation in the room the school had provided, and the fourteen bodies worth of heat that had been sharing the space every night, Tadashi was hoping that the cool morning air would be a relief.</p><p>It wasn’t.</p><p>“So hot,” Tadashi complained as he shrugged his track jacket off his shoulders.</p><p>“Mm,” Tsukishima grunted beside him, his eyes squinting in disdain at the newly rising sun.</p><p>Hinata and Nishinoya bounced up and down excitedly, loudly discussing some weird dream Noya had the night before. Tadashi smiled weakly at their antics, while Tsukishima stepped away from the two instinctively.</p><p>“Tsukishima!” Nishinoya planted his palms on Tsukki’s back. “No more standing around! Let’s go, let’s go!”</p><p>“Every time,” Tsukki mumbled, twisting his neck and sending Tadashi a pleading look as he was shuffled toward the bus.</p><p>Tadashi yawned through a giggle. Every single away trip, no matter how much Tsukki tried to avoid it, Nishinoya managed to push Tsukki to the bus like he was a very resistant, oversized lawnmower. Once Nishinoya got started, Tsukki never did much to protest, only silently hoping someone would save him. Which, Tadashi never did. The image of their shortest teammate enthusiastically pestering their tallest – and arguably, fussiest – teammate, was always entertaining.</p><p>“I’ll meet you on the bus, Tsukki! I’m gonna help Ennoshita-san with the luggage!”</p><p>Expecting nothing less, Tsukki glared with a grumbled “<em>traitor</em>” under his breath, and continued to allow himself to be guided forward – clearly dragging his feet as much as possible while Nishinoya yelled futile encouragements.</p><p>Still smiling through his slowly-awakening eyes, Tadashi made his way over to where Ennoshita was waiting. He quickly stuffed his jacket into his bag and helped organize everything to fit neatly in the storage area beneath the bus.</p><p>It only took a few minutes, but the small exercise of lifting everyone’s bags, in combination with the rush of cool air as soon as Tadashi stepped up into the bus, did wonders to wipe the sleep from his mind. He made his way down the aisle to see Tsukishima already sound asleep in the second-to-last row of double seats on the left. He had his chin tucked in to his fully zipped up club jacket, and his old purple hoodie bunched up on his shoulder as a pillow. He didn’t budge as Tadashi plopped down in the seat beside him.</p><p>The early morning rides back home from Tokyo always had a quiet, peaceful aura to them compared to the rambunctious excitement of the drives there. The AC thrummed in full force and Tadashi angled himself to look past his sleeping friend to watch the slowly rising sun glint over the countryside.</p><p>In the gap between the two seats in front of him, Tadashi could just make out Kageyama’s chin repeatedly dropping down to his collarbone as he slept restlessly, while Hinata was yell-whispering across the aisle to the new first years who were all in the single row seats.</p><p>It had been strange at first, to go to an away camp without Asahi, Sugawara and Daichi – and even stranger to hear the new team members refer to him as “<em>Yamaguchi-senpai.”</em> But they were all strong players and were fitting in well too. Seeing them listen intently to Hinata ramble on about flying falls, Tadashi could see himself from a year ago in them. All wide-eyed with excitement, just starting to settle in to being fully accepted into a real team.</p><p>With his teeth beginning to chatter from the constant cool air flowing through the bus, Tadashi smiled, glad that this new version of their team was going to be just as enthusiastic about volleyball as the old one was.</p><p>“Yamaguchi!” – Hinata’s sudden outburst broke Tadashi out of his thoughts – “aren’t you cold without a jacket on?” He had turned around in his seat and was stood on his knees to face Tadashi and Tsukishima.</p><p>“Are you incapable of being quiet for more than five minutes?” Tsukki, apparently woken up by Hinata’s voice, opened one eye to glare up at him. “Not all of us enjoy being awake at six in the morning.”</p><p>“Ohh Tsukishima must really be tired!” Tanaka, also sounding only half awake, called from his seat in the back row. “He barely even threw an insult in there!”</p><p>“Do I really have to repeat myself?” Tsukishima opened his other eye to increase the intensity of his stare. “<em>Six.</em> In the <em>morning</em>.”</p><p>Tadashi suppressed a chuckle.</p><p>“Why am I the only one worried that Yamaguchi-kun isn’t wearing a jacket! Look he’s got goosebumps!” Hinata whined, pointing dramatically. “Don’t you guys know how important it is not to catch a cold!</p><p>Ignoring the way Tsukki lifted his head to give Hinata a pointed look, Tadashi ran his hands over his forearms. “I am a little cold, but I’ll be alright. My jacket is in the trunk anyway.”</p><p>“Maybe Yacchan has something!” Hinata perked up, whipping his head around toward the front of the bus – apparently unaware that his volume had caused everyone else around him to wince. “Yachi-san! Do you have any warming stuff in – “</p><p>A small, bundled weight of fabric pressed into Tadashi’s sternum, pulling his attention away from Hinata’s voice. “Here,” Tsukishima said simply.</p><p>Tadashi blinked, his fingers curling around the old hoodie instinctually before understanding. “Thanks, Tsukki.”</p><p>“Mm,” Tsukishima gave a half-nod and faced where Hinata was still yelling up to a very flustered Yachi. “Oi. Yamaguchi is warm now. Shut up so the rest of us can sleep.”</p><p>“Hm? Oh good!” Hinata turned back around in his seat again to see Tadashi unfolding the sweatshirt. “And I wasn’t <em>that</em> loud! See, Kageyama is still asleep!”</p><p>“Doesn’t count,” Tsukishima mumbled under his breath as he took off his glasses and leaned his head against the side of the bus. “The King’s only three settings are eating, sleeping and volleyball.”</p><p>Hinata sent Tsukki a pouty glare, but didn’t seem too bothered as he settled back in to face forward.</p><p>Tadashi felt a little guilty about taking the hoodie from Tsukki, knowing how annoying it was to try and sleep up against the hard, rattling window as the bus rumbled down the road. But he <em>was</em> cold, and Tsukishima never did anything he hadn’t thought through.</p><p><em>Tsukki probably decided his head vibrating would be less annoying than Hinata’s worrying,</em> Tadashi thought amusedly.</p><p>The warmth of the hoodie was immediate when Tadashi pulled it over his head, instantly shielding the cool, ventilated air from that was prickling at his skin. Even though it was half an inch too big for him, the sleeves still acted as little cocoons of warmth, insulating each molecule of space between the fabric and his body. No longer on the verge of shivering, Tadashi’s eyes drooped with drowsiness, and he sunk further into the seat.</p><p>The sweatshirt smelled nice too. Like the time he and Tsukki had to sneak into the laundry room late at night to covertly wash Tsukki’s bedsheets after having spilled juice on them. Or when Tadashi tried on Tsukki’s old hand-me-down shoes from Akiteru and his feet were practically drowning in them. The sound of a volleyball repeatedly hitting against the backboard of the basketball hoop while the dried grass crunched beneath their feet and –</p><p>Something heavy slumped against Tadashi’s right shoulder, jolting him out of his almost-sleep. Unable to fully twist his neck against it, he slightly craned away in muddled confusion before realizing what had happened.</p><p>Tsukki had fallen asleep on him. <em>Actually,</em> fallen asleep. With his slow, even breaths and the way he had collapsed against Tadashi so gracelessly, there was no way he wasn’t asleep. Tadashi’s lips threatened to twitch into a smile, and he had to tamper his rising chuckle so that the movement of his chest wouldn’t wake Tsukki up.</p><p>It was a bit odd. Tsukishima was usually very particular about how he slept – always needing at least his eye mask, if not also his headphones, before he could feel comfortable enough. Tadashi had rarely seen him sleep without either of them, even in Tsukki’s own house. But he was sound asleep, apparently completely unaware that he was using Tadashi’s shoulder as a pillow.</p><p>His hands were resting in his lap, clasped loosely around his glasses, and his posture was much more slumped than how he usually presented himself. The length of his legs disappeared underneath the seat in front of him, the slight curve of them suggesting he had crossed one ankle over the other.</p><p>Past the window, the early morning light cast lines and shapes across his features. Without the usual sleeping mask, his face looked oddly empty – the plains and shadows almost made him look like another person, someone new. The crease of skin just between his eyelid and his brow looked soft and serene. Like it would be perfectly smooth if Tadashi swiped across it with the pad of his thumb.</p><p>As the sun hid behind a fleeting row of buildings, it washed everything in a lukewarm darkness and pulled Tadashi’s eyes away to see the reflection of himself and Tsukki in the bus window.</p><p>Something unlocked in Tadashi’s chest.</p><p>They fit together so naturally.</p><p>When they first met, Tadashi had thought Tsukki was one of the coolest people he had ever met. He was tall, and effortlessly good at everything. Then Tadashi met Akiteru too, and his image of Tsukki expanded further. Tadashi had felt honored just to talk to either of them. Like just being around them made him cool by association.</p><p>Tsukishima used to be so big; shining and unknown. But as time went on, Tadashi started to learn him through osmosis. Tsukki became detailed and nuanced. Comfortable.</p><p>The picture he saw on front of him now had Tsukki leaned into Tadashi like he belonged there. The image refracted through the glare of the glass, and converged everything together. The nostalgic smell of home that was enveloping Tadashi’s chest from the hoodie, and the trust and comfortability implied by Tsukki’s completely slack face as his rhythmical, sleeping breaths puffed against Tadashi’s neck.</p><p>It was like suddenly seeing his childhood home from an entirely different angle – everything was achingly familiar, but the miniscule change in perspective made it feel like something <em>more.</em> Like there was once again something new to learn and explore, tucked away inside the things he thought he had unequivocally known.</p><p>His heart flipped over itself when he saw that his own hand was hovering just an inch away from Tsukki’s face. How long had it just been hanging there? Like he had been reaching out, subconsciously drawn in to caress his friend’s face.</p><p>Blood roaring in his ears – and suddenly overtly aware of every single cell in his body – he snapped his hand back and shoved it into the sweatshirt pocket where it belonged.</p><p>There was at atmospheric drop, the air revolving around him like it had the first time he ever served in a real game. Back then, a single step over the painted line and onto the court had felt like entering an entirely different world. Now, he wasn’t sure what caused it.</p><p>
  <em>The sweatshirt. His hair on my cheek. The early morning bus ride. Sunlight and soft-looking eyelids.</em>
</p><p>Memories and futures were crashing together. He didn’t understand.</p><p>Tsukki’s fingers twitched unconsciously around his glasses, drawing Tadashi’s attention. His left ring and pinkie fingers still bore the red marks from the pressure of the athletic tape he had been diligently wrapping them with all week.</p><p>Tadashi wanted to hold them. Sooth them. To ask why he was always clasping them together when he spoke to someone new, or someone he respects.</p><p>Would Tadashi’s hands offer those same comforts if they were the ones threaded through Tsukki’s fingers instead?</p><p>He wanted to hold his hand, if only to see how he would react. Would he pull away? Momentarily show his surprise before smoothing his face back into neutrality? Would he think it was a joke? Would he stay?</p><p>Possibilities swirled behind Tadashi’s eyes, and he wasn’t sure which one he hoped for most. Fear and excitement were indistinguishable.</p><p>He tried to swallow down his rapidly beating heart. Realization was boiling water and Tadashi was the kettle, threatening to spill over.</p><p>But he wouldn’t scream.</p><p>“<em>Oh. So, you have a crush</em>,” calm, rational, hypothetical Tsukki would say – if it were about anyone but himself. Simple, accurate, and like there was nothing to fear.</p><p><em>There’s more to learn about Tsukki… And more to learn about me, too.</em> Tadashi let out a slow, steadying breath.</p><p>The bus hummed around him, intermingling with the hushed sounds of his teammates and reaching out to ground him back in place. The tires rumbled over a small bump, and shifted Tsukishima against him. He grumbled unconsciously at the movement and the quiet, familiarly annoyed tone of his voice was like a balm on Tadashi’s heart, pulling him back to the present.</p><p>This was Tsukki. There was nothing to worry about no matter what happened.</p><p>Hesitantly, Tadashi let his body relax and tilted his head to rest his cheek against Tsukki’s hair. He wasn’t quite ready yet to see what would happen when he tangled their fingers together, but he could allow himself this. To surround himself in the wonderful newness of his best friend’s body weight sleeping soundly against him. Inviting him to join in.</p><p>The bus drove on, and sleep was a dreamless haze made of fluttering eyelids, adjusting elbows, and shoulders sinking in together. If Tadashi shifted his posture, Tsukki would accommodate accordingly, their heads knocking together occasionally, but never with enough force to wake either of them entirely.</p><p>Slowly, the heat warming through the window inched higher and higher, coating them like a blanket and combatting against the still circulating chill of the AC. The volume of the chatter around them rose in parallel to the rise of the sun, as the subtle sway of the bus eventually began to make more frequent and familiar turns.</p><p>They slowed to a momentary stop, and consciousness crept back in.</p><p>Woodenly, Tsukki lifted his head off of Tadashi’s shoulder. His eyes still foggy with sleep, there was a moment where he just stared at Tadashi blankly, and made his whole body prickle with anticipation.</p><p>But then Tsukki frowned endearingly, and scrunched his nose as he wiped some drool off his bottom lip with the back of his hand. “Sorry,” he said quietly, eyes shifting in annoyance between his hand and the wet spot that was surely seeping through the fabric on Tadashi’s shoulder.</p><p>Tadashi wasn’t sure if Tsukki was apologizing for the drool specifically, or for falling asleep on him in general, but he didn’t care. The whole thing was so <em>normal</em>. It was so simple and so <em>Tsukki</em>, that Tadashi immediately felt like a thread had been untangled inside his heart.</p><p>“G’morning, Tsukki,” Tadashi added just a hint of teasing into his voice.</p><p>Tsukki only grumbled through a yawn in response as he flicked open his glasses and slid them back on.</p><p>“Don’t worry,” Tadashi nudged their shoulders together lightly. “I made sure Hinata only took two or three pictures of you snuggling with me.”</p><p>“Hah!?” Tsukki whipped his head toward Tadashi incredulously, and Tadashi couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out from his chest.</p><p>“Kidding, kidding,” he waved his arms placatingly.</p><p>Tsukki blinked, then narrowed his eyes. “Shut up, Yamaguchi.” His lips twitched ever-so-slightly at the corner, and high on his cheekbones there was an unmistakable dusting of light pink glowing through his skin.</p><p>Tadashi’s own cheeks burned at the sight, basking in the way the words he’d heard a thousand times, suddenly felt like a new secret neither of them were quite willing to share yet.</p><p>Awe, excitement and joy were blooming in his chest. And while he couldn’t wait to learn more – to learn <em>everything</em> about how they both could be – he wanted to savor this too. This small pocket of time; this unspoken <em>almost</em> that clung to them, tied them together and whispered “<em>there’s still so much more to come.”</em></p><p>As Tadashi watched Tsukki fondly roll his eyes at the antics of their teammates around them, he knew there was no rush. He knew that when he was ready to step on ahead, Tsukki would be following right behind him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading!! &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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